[pstrickert]

1. Click New Custom Game - Use Advanced Mode to Add Historical League (i.e., do NOT use the Wizard)

a. When prompted, use "historical.odb"
b. Enter Season Year (e.g., 1959)
c. Check Keep this season's statistics in player career stats
d. Base Current Ratings on Real Stats
e. Base Fielding Ratings on Imported Season
f. Base Pitcher Stamina on Imported Season

2. Click Import League

3. League Setup - Game Options

a. Disable Scouting System
b. Disable Coaching System
c. Disable Player Development (check box)
d. Disable Player Personality Ratings
e. Disable Player Morale System
f. Disable Suspensions (both)

NOTE: These steps (3a. - 3f.) are optional.

4. League Setup - Rules

a. Disable Trading
b. Disable Financials
c. Disable Amateur Draft

NOTE: These steps (4a. - 4c.) are optional.

5. League Setup - Options

a. Disable Spring Training
b. Set Season Start Date: one day before playoffs begin
c. Disable Auto Adjust Date if Schedule Found
d. Number of games per team: 0
e. Disable Hold All-Star Game.

NOTE: Be sure to verify that the season (i.e., year) is correct. It will probably be off by a year. Go ahead and type in the correct year BEFORE hitting Start Game.

6. League Setup - Historical

a. Disable Automatically expand league
b. Ratings recalculation base: 1 year

7. Click Start Game

8. Enable Play in Commissioner Mode

9. Click on Game Setup in the "OOTP" menu

10. League Setup - Functions - Roster Functions

a. Set all teams to NOT allow AI roster changes

11. League Setup - Rules

a. Disable Postseason Roster Rules

12. League Setup - Functions - Editors

a. Edit League Structure
b. Delete (one by one) all teams (including the WS teams)

13. Import Historical Teams

a. Click on Import Hist. Team
b. Locate database (i.e., "historical_database.odb")
c. Select AL team
d. Repeat Steps 13a. - 13.c for NL team

14. Go back to Game Setup (click back arrow)

15. League Setup - Options

a. Enable Use Custom Playoffs
b. Click Customize Playoffs
c. Check the two boxes
d. Choose playoff series type and structure
e. Team with home field advantage should be listed first (e.g., AL #1 or NL #1)
f. Click to Confirm

16. Functions - Editor - Edit League Schedule

a. Clear Schedule
b. Generate Fictional Schedule

17. Update each team's WS roster

NOTE: In some cases, this will require searching for and adding players to the team roster. In other cases, it will require dropping a player from the team roster. If you wish, you can also add or drop players from the reserve roster. NOTE: PadresFan has a small file on his site that contains the post-season rosters (1903-2010).

18. Free Agents - Delete All Free Agents

NOTE: I'm not sure if this step is required. For some reason, I've always done it, though.

19. Add logos, ballparks, player pics

20. Sim to Playoffs Begin

21. League Setup - Functions - Edit Schedule

a. change start time for each game (if necessary)

NOTE: Step 21a. is optional.

That's it. If you wish, you can save the game as a Quickstart.

NOTE: The AI will set the rotation and lineups, unless the user takes control of a team.